What If?
by Chris Atola
Summary: What if Harry hadn't been sent to the Dursleys? What if he'd been taken away when his parents died, and been given to people on another planet to foster? DEAD FIC
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Original characters are mine, everyone else belong to "the big people". I borrowed a few lines from The Philosopher's Stone. Those lines aren't mine, either.  
  
Summary: What if Harry hadn't been sent to the Dursleys? What if he'd been taken away when his parents died, and been given to people on another planet to foster?  
  
Author's note: This is yet another HP/Sonic Underground crossover. The idea's been bouncing around in my head for over a year, but I didn't actually write anything down until the other day. If you don't like the crossover, no-one's forcing you to read it. And don't flame, or I'll flame you right back. "Do unto others as you would have done unto you" and all that.  
  
What If...? By Chris Atola  
  
She wasn't looking forward to this. Not at all. Visiting death-scenes was not her cup of tea. She gripped the envelope tightly in her hand as she walked into the remains of a once pleasant home. She heard and followed the baby's wails into the nursery, tracing a cross in the air as she passed what had once been James Potter.  
  
Once in the nursery, she quietly walked over to the remains of Lily Potter and placed the envelope in her outstretched hand, repeating the gesture.  
  
"I will look after Harry. I swear it."  
  
Finally, she moved over to the baby, who was sitting on the rug, looking up at her with tear-filled eyes.  
  
"Shh, little one, it'll be alright."  
  
She picked the child up and went over to his crib, picking up the blanket and wrapping him in it. She salvaged what little photographs and personal items belonging to Harry's parents as she could, then moved to the centre of the room. A single tear escaped her. Moments later, both she and Harry Potter disappeared.  
  
~*~  
  
A few minutes later, the sound of a motorcycle was heard. A bright halogen light appeared in the sky, and soon the flying motorcycle landed on the road outside the ruins. A black-haired man with dark eyes, wearing midnight robes, jumped off the motorcycle and ran into the ruins. Seeing the bodies of Lily and James Potter, he cried out "No!" before bursting into tears.  
  
At that very moment, an enormous man flying a broomstick landed outside what remained of the front door. He entered, and, seeing the first man, said, "Sirius?"  
  
Sirius turned his gaze to the other man. "They're dead. Harry's gone."  
  
The other man said nothing, just looking at the two people lying on the floor. Noticing the envelope lying on the floor, he asked, "Wassat?"  
  
Sirius bent down and picked the envelope up, turning it over. In slightly loopy handwriting, there were the words /Headmaster Dumbledore/ written on the front.  
  
He handed the envelope to the larger man, saying, "Take that to Dumbledore. And take my bike. I won't be needing it anymore." He turned and Disapparated with a crack. The one man shrugged and put the envelope in his pocket, the walked to the motorcycle, and flew away.  
  
He flew to Surrey, landing in front of Number Four, Privet Drive, where an old, white-haired man, and a strict-looking woman were waiting.  
  
"Hagrid," the old man said. "At last. And where did you get that motorbike?"  
  
"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir. Young Sirius Black lent it me. But we have a problem." He pulled out the envelope and gave it to Dumbledore, who accepted and opened the letter. He started to read.  
  
/Headmaster,  
  
You are no doubt wondering what happened to young master Potter. Rest assured, he is in better hands than he would be, in the "care" of his relatives. You will know what I mean this very night.  
  
The child will be returned to Earth when he turns eleven, to attend Hogwarts. However, he will return to his new fosters for all holidays.  
  
The current time-guardian,  
  
Christina Atola./  
  
As he finished reading, he sighed. "Well, it it out of our hands now. Let us hope the time-guardian is true to her word."  
  
Is that good, bad, or absolutely horrible? (I'll even accept flames for this particular chapter, but not later on.) Should I continue? 


	2. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognise as being part of either SU or Harry Potter.  
  
Author's note: This particular chapter is mostly telling the tale of why Voldemort is after Harry. OotP itself will never happen the way J.K. Rowling wrote it, but I borrowed the prophecy.  
  
Reviews:  
  
Layce74: I can _try_, but I can't vouch for the results... I've absolutely _no_experience with babies, just some of my mum's stories to go on. And those are about extremes. My mum babysat (from dawn till dusk) a number of kids when I was little, and they were all completely different. The first kid was a real angel, the second a right pain in the tailbone, and the third somewhere in between. My brother was more of a pain than an angel... I'm told I was an angel as a baby, but a monster as a ten-year- old. (I became a teenager at age ten.)  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Christina Atola, Chris to her friends, stepped through the Guardian of Forever holding the sleeping baby. She turned to face the Guardian. "Thank you, Guardian. I'd like to visit the planet Mobius. Specifically, the dimension where Robotnik was defeated two years ago. Codename Voitto*."  
  
The portal formed again, this time showing an aerial view of a garden city. The image moved down until the portal was a few centimetres above the ground.  
  
Chris stepped through the portal. On the other side, she made her way through the city, until she came to the very centre, where a palace stood. The guards, seeing Chris's uniform**, escorted her to the throne room. When she was announced, Chris stepped forward. Harry shifted in her arms, but slept on.  
  
"Good evening, Ma'am, I've come to ask for a favour. This child was just orphaned, and it's too dangerous for him to stay on his homeworld, so I thought maybe I could find him a good foster home here. I was hoping you could help me?"  
  
"It's a bit late today. Stay the night, and we'll discuss it in the morning." Chris nodded, and the queen led her to one of the guest rooms. Harry stirred in her arms and asked, "Mummy?" It broke her heart to have to break the news to the child.  
  
"No, not mummy. She's gone, Harry."  
  
By the look in his eyes, Chris knew he didn't understand. He mumbled something and went back to sleep. Another tear escaped her eye. She looked up to see the queen watching her.  
  
"I'll explain later. Not in front of Harry." She opened the door to the guest room and went in, setting Harry in one of the beds. She pulled the blnket over him and left the room, closing the door. Once outside, she addressed the queen.  
  
"I suppose you want the explanation now?"  
  
"Not here. Let's go to a more private place." She led Chris to a room further down the corridor, where she waved Chris to a seat. Chris sighed and began.  
  
"First of all, you need to know about the world Harry came from. Unlike my Earth, it's a world where magic is fairly common. Magic-users live in separate comunities from non-magic folk, usually referred to as Muggles. At eleven years old, any magically inclined child is invited to boarding school where they learn the basics of magic.  
  
"Harry's father, James Potter, made three good friends when he entered Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Those three friends of his were practically his brothers. Later, James, Sirius and Peter discovered that Remus was a werewolf. Wizarding folk aren't the most tolerant of people, and so they fear and hate anyone who's different from the rest. Including werewolves.  
  
"Werewolves are dangerous to people, but only during the full moon. At other times, they're completely harmless.  
  
"Remus was terrified that his friend would leave him, but they stood by him, unlike so many others. In their fifth year at Hogwarts, the three non-werewolf friends became Animagi in order to help Remus. They learned to become animals. James a stag, Sirius a dog, and Peter a rat. In animal form, Remus wasn't dangerous to them, and they kept him company during full moon nights.  
  
"In seventh year, James fell in love with Harry's mother, a Muggleborn girl who'd achieved Head Girl status at the same time as James became Head Boy. Soon after graduation, Lily and James got married. A year later, they had Harry. When he was born, a Seer made a prophecy about someone defeating an evil man by the name of Lord Voldemort.  
  
/The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...  
  
born to those who have thrice defied him,  
  
born as the seventh month dies...  
  
...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal,  
  
but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...  
  
... and either must die at the hand of the other  
  
for neither can live while the other survives...  
  
the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord  
  
will be born as the seventh month dies./  
  
"But two boys were born on the thirty-first of July. Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom. There was no way for Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts and the one to hear the prophecy as it was spoken, to tell who the chosen one was. It wasn't until today that Voldemort chose.  
  
"The Potters were hidden by a Fidelius Charm. The secret of their location was hidden inside a single person. As long as the Secret Keeper kept his mouth shut, Voldemort would never find the Potters, not even if he had his nose pressed againg their living-room window.  
  
"Originally, the Secret Keeper was supposed to be Sirius Black, but Sirius begged off at the last moment. He reckoned it would be safer to use Peter, no-one would think they'd use _him_.  
  
"James Potter's friend, Peter Pettigrew, was actually a follower of Voldemort. He went straight to his master and told him the location of the Potters. Voldemort attacked and killed Harry's family, and failed to kill Harry himself. The Killing Curse backfired, and hit Voldemort instead. But instead of dying as he should have, Voldemort just turned into a spirit. In thirteen years, he'll regain his body, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.  
  
"Unfortunately, everyone still thinks Sirius was the Secret Keeper. By this time tomorrow, Sirius will have cornered Peter, intending to kill him for betraying the Potters. However, Pettigrew will turn the tables. In a streetful of Muggles, he'll yell for all to hear that Sirius betrayed the Potters, cut off his finger, blow up the street and transform into a rat. The wizarding policemen, Aurors, will find Sirius standing in the same street, laughing at the irony of the sitution, since there's nothing else he can do.  
  
"Sirius will be taken to Azkaban, the wizard prison, without a trial. He'll be accused with the murder of twelve Muggles and Pettigrew, and spend the next twelve years there, until Pettigrew resurfaces on the page of a newspaper - in rat form, of course." Chris took a breath, then said,  
  
"I could go on for all eternity, but there isn't really any point in going any further yet." By now, it was getting late, around midnight.  
  
Saying godnight to the queen, Chris headed for the guest bedroom and pulled her uniform off, climbing into bed and falling asleep moments later.  
  
~*~  
  
Albus Dumbledore was dreaming. He saw what must have been Harry Potter, growing up with his Muggle relatives. The boy was treated as rubbish, whle his cousin was spoiled to death. Harry got very little to eat, and Dudley got away with hitting him constantly, sometimes right under his parents' noses. He slept in the cupboard under the stairs, and did almost all of the manual labour around the house.  
  
After seeing Harry beat up for the thousandth time, Dumbledore came to the conclusion that the time-guardian had been right. Harry was better off _anywhere_ but there.  
  
*Voitto is the Finnish word for Victory.  
  
**The time-guardian uniform is a dark forest-green jacket and pair of pants with black boots. On the chest of the jacket, there is a large circle of dark blue, and a lighter blue circle inside the bigger one. It's supposed to represent cause and effect. Think of a pebble falling into a lake. The rings it forms are the cirles in the symbol.  
  
Please review! I'll be more motivated to write the next chapter if I have a review or two... 


	3. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I own the original characters. Everything else _isn't_ mine.  
  
Author's note: I have absolutely no experience with babies, so I might not have written some of this very well. Correct me if I'm wrong...  
  
Chapter Two  
  
On the morning of All Saints' Day, Chris woke up to a series of crashes. She opened a bleary eye to see Harry, standing next to a scene of chaos, giggling. One of the side tables was upside down with a leg missing, the undecorated clay jar which had sat on the table was now on the floor in a million pieces, and the bookshelf in the corner was lying flat on its side, with books all over the floor.  
  
Chris glanced at her watch. Six in the morning. She groaned, thinking, 'Can't I sleep for just two more hours?' She sat up, and swung her legs over the side of the bed.  
  
When Harry wasn't looking, Chris pulled her uniform pants on, but left the jacket off, wearing only a blue t-shirt. Standing up, she did up the pants and black leather belt, and put her boots on. She strode over to Harry and picked him up, then opened the door and strode out. Two paces down the corridor, she was intercepted by the queen.  
  
"What was that noise?"  
  
"_That_, was Harry waking me up. He's gone and broken the clay vase on the side table, breaking one of the table's legs, and spilled books all over the floor. Loudest wake-up call I've ever had!" She shifted Harry on her hip. "I suppose this mischievious infant wants breakfast. I know I do!"  
  
~*~  
  
After breakfast, the queen pulled Chris aside. "I've given Harry's fostering a bit of thought. _I'd_ like to foster him."  
  
"A second chance at being a mother? I understand. That kid's such a charmer. If I didn't already have three babies to look after, I'd consider fostering him myself." Silently, she added, 'If I'm going to make Harry's life better, I might as well do it properly.' "There's something I need to do on Harry's Earth. I'll be back later."  
  
Chris set of running down the corridor, pulling on her uniform jacket as she went. The Guardian opened a portal to its location, the planet codenamed 'Gateway'. Chris ran through the portal, skidding to a halt on the other side.  
  
"Guardian, I need to get back to the last HP dimension I visited. Right after Peter Pettigrew blew up the street. Sirius Black's location!" The moment the portal opened, Chris leapt through.  
  
"Sirius Black! Oi! Unless you want to get thrown into Azkaban without a trial, come with me!" Black looked at Chris for a moment, then walked toward her. Chris made a dash for him, grabbed his sleeve and started running, pulling him along. Black resisted a bit, which made Chris's job harder. Finally, she found it easier to do. Not because Black was co- operating, but because LongTail to- Sivao, who had been inactive until then, was lending Chris some of her strength.  
  
'Thanks, Eltie,' Chris sent as she ran. About half a kilometre away, she came to a halt. She turned to Black. "Apparate to Hogsmeade. I'll meet you there." She raced off again. Behind her, she heard a crack. She glanced behind her, noticed Black was gone, and turned into a side alley. She took a running leap, and landed on one of the streets of Hogsmeade.  
  
Black was there. She gestured for him to follow her, then set off running again, toward the cave where Sirius would hide in Harry's fourth year of Hogwarts. Once in the cave, Chris turned around.  
  
When he got to the cave, Black asked Chris, "Are you a witch?"  
  
"No. I'm not a Muggle, either. I suppose if magic schools existed in my dimension, I'd have attended one, but they don't. My name's Christina Atola. I'm the current time-guardian."  
  
"Where's Harry?"  
  
"He's perfectly safe with some friends of mine. I'll take you to see him when things quiet down a bit. For now, I expect you to stay hidden."  
  
"If you're not a witch, how can you Apparate?"  
  
"It's not really the same as Apparating. I don't know how I do it, I just can. If you need to go to Hogsmeade, do it in your Animagus form. DON'T go out as a human. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have something else I need to do."  
  
Chris strode out of the cave and, as she was about to start walking to Hogsmeade, LongTail jumped to the fore and took off, all four of her limbs only just touching the ground.  
  
'Eltie! No fair!'  
  
[Sorry, Chris, but you were going to take ages getting anywhere.] LongTail's mental voice was apologetic, but her pace did not slow.  
  
'Ho-kay, let's go to Hogwarts.' Chris sighed.  
  
The entire trip took only a few minutes, and once they were outside the gates, Chris was pushed to the fore. She trotted through the gates and to the doors. She knocked loudly, and waited.  
  
After a minute, a woman with her hair done up in a tight but answered the door. "Yes?"  
  
"My name is Christina Atola. I'm here to see Professor Dumbledore."  
  
"Very well, follow me." Chris followed the woman, who she recognised as Professor Minerva McGonagall, through the door and the Entrance Hall. Chris knew the LongTail would memorise the route and be able to follow it back if necessary. That fact had got them out of tight situations in the past. Chris didn't bother to pay any attention the the turns they made.  
  
Finally, they reached the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance to the Headmaster's office, where McGonagall gave the password, Sugar Quill. Opening the door, she announced, "The time-guardian is here to se you."  
  
"Thank you, Minerva." Chris walked in quietly and waited in front of the desk. Dumbledore looked up. "How may I help you?"  
  
"You can listen to the truth. Sirius Black did not betray the Potters. He was never their Secret Keeper."  
  
"Who was it?" Dumbledore asked. Chris did not answer. Instead, she said,  
  
"If any student ever comes to Hogwarts with a pet rat, especially if it has a toe missing on its front paw, use the spell that forces an Animagus to reveal himself. Question the Animagus under Veritaserum and all will be revealed."  
  
"Where is Harry Potter?"  
  
"On a planet callet Mobius. Death Eaters cannot reach him there. He is the fosterling of a queen." Dumbledore got a strange expression on his face.  
  
"Which queen?"  
  
"You already know. You've been there. Not in that particular dimension, but a similar one." Chris answered.  
  
"You mean...? Oh good Lord."  
  
"As I said, Harry's perfectly safe. They kicked Robotnik out two years ago." Chris shifted her weight. "If you'll excuse me, I need to get back to Mobius." She spun on her heel and walked out the door. The Guardian picked her up once the door closed, and sent her directly to Mobius.  
  
Once there, the first thing she saw was Harry running from a paint- covered figure. It took a while for Chris to realise who it was: Princess Sonia.  
  
"Harry-kins, what have you done?!" Chris exclaimed. Harry dashed behind her, putting her between himself and Sonia.  
  
"Sonia funny!" he giggled. Sonia, on the other hand, scowled. Chris sighed.  
  
"You think he's bad _now_, just wait until he hits the Terrible Twos. Or his teens. Listen, would you mind letting your mum know I'm going home, but I'll be back once in a while?" Sonia nodded, and Chris turned round and went back into the portal. 'Back to the daily grind...'  
  
~*~  
  
Chris visited Harry about once a week, and every time she saw him, he was up to some form of mischief. It wasn't until her third visit that she discovered that Princes Sonic and Manic were helping him with that mischief. They were the ones to put buckets of water abouve doors, as well as lift him high enough to hang embarrassing objects in Sonia's room. 'Heaven help Hogwarts!' she though, whenever Harry performed a practical joke.  
  
When Harry was very nearly two years old, Chris decided to give him a little surprise. She went back to the cave near Hogsmeade and spoke suddenly, starling Black.  
  
"Want to go see Harry?"  
  
"Don't scare me like that!" He blinked, then, "Of course I want to see Harry!"  
  
"Before we go anywhere, you need to know a few things. The locals of Mobius are anthropomorphic - you do know what that means?" At Sirius's nod, she continued. "I fostered Harry with the queen of that planet, he's got three foster-siblings. I daresay he's loads better off there than at the Dursleys! He calls me Auntie - I don't know whether one of his fosters put him up to it or whether he came up with it himself. He's a prankster - I'm sure you're happy to hear that? At the moment, he doesn't know he's a fosterling, and I'd like to keep it that way until he's sevenish. Now then, let's get going."  
  
"How are we gettting there?" Sirius asked Chris.  
  
"Well, we walk for a bit, and the Guardian of Forever will pick us up in mid-stride."  
  
"Guardian of Forever?"  
  
"A sentient time-portal built by and ancient alien race known as the Originators. It's what helps me get to whichever dimension needs fixing." At that moment, the Guardian picked the two of them up and sent them to Mobius.  
  
"Pafooh?" a childish voice shouted.  
  
Please review! 


	4. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: read an earlier chapter.  
  
Author's note: Quite frankly, I'm too lazy to write about every year in detail, so I'll just write occasional visits until Harry's eleventh birthday.  
  
A little bit of language, but nothing too bad.  
  
Chapter Three  
  
"Pafooh?" a childish voice shouted. Sirius smiled and knelt down, opening his arms. Harry ran into them, grinning like the Cheshire cat. Sirius stood up, Harry still in his arms.  
  
Chris turned to the queen, who had been watching silently. "I suppose introductions are in order?" She beckoned Sirius over. "Your majesty, this is Sirius Black, Harry's godfather. Sirius, this is Queen Aleena, Harry's foster-mum."  
  
"Your Majesty," Sirius aknowledged.  
  
"Please, no need to be formal. Call me Aleena. You're welcome to stay until Harry goes to Hogwarts."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Neither noticed that Chris was displaying her own version of the Cheshire cat's grin. A grin which widened when Sonia shuffled in, covered from head to toe in a paste of flour and water. Sonia shot Chris a withering look, and Chris tried to stop smiling, but failed miserably. Her mouth kept twitching still, the amusement lingering in her eyes.  
  
~*~  
  
The next time Chris visited Harry was his second birthday, when she brought him a visitor. She showed up on the doorstep of one Remus Lupin, where she knocked and waited. After a moment, the door opened and a man poked his head out. Chris barely registered the light brown hair rather like her own, complete with the telltale flecks of grey which signified a werewolf, as she said, "Remus Lupin?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"My name is Christina Atola. I'm here to speak with you about Harry Potter."  
  
"Why? Isn't he dead?"  
  
"No, and that's why I'm here. May I come in?" Lupin nodded and gestured for Chris to come inside. As she entered, Chris saw the old, rather broken furniture, but ignored it and looked and Lupin, who gestured toward the kitchen. She followed him to the table, where they sat down.  
  
"First of all, I think I'd better explain what happened in October. You are aware of time-guardians?" At Lupin's nod, she continued. "I'm the current one. I went to Godric's Hollow after Mr. and Mrs. Potter died, and fetched Harry. It was either that, or let him be taken to the Dursleys." She scowled. "I took him to be fostered by a friend of mine, where he's been since then. Anyway, you know his birthday is tomorrow?" Lupin nodded. "I was wondering if you'd like to go see him?"  
  
"I certainly would!"  
  
Chris nodded. "There are some things you'd need to know beforehand. I didn't send Harry anywhere on Earth: he's on another planet. The natives are anthropomorphic," Lupin nodded him understanding, "and the government is a monarchy. The current ruler is Queen Aleena, Harry's foster-mum. Harry has three foster-siblings. The other thing you need to know is that Sirius Black didn't betray the Potters."  
  
Lupin looked as if he was going to protest. Chris held up a hand, saying, "Hear me out. The Potters switched Secret Keepers without telling anyone. Peter Pettigrew was their Secret Keeper. They thought no-one would even suspect they's use such a weak person for such a task. Pettigrew went straight to Voldemort. The rest you know. Right now, Sirius is with Harry, giving him the chance he never got in other dimensions - the chance to have a godfather. As I told Sirius earlier, Harry doesn't know he's a fosterling, and I'd like to keep it that way 'till he's sevenish. And I'm sure he'd _love_ to have an uncle in his life," she finished, smiling at Lupin.  
  
"But I'm..." Lupin started. Chris sighed.  
  
"I know all about your lycantrophy, and I don't care. Neither will anyone else when they've met you. If someone makes a scene, they're a right git. Now come on, you might want to pack whatever you want to take with you."  
  
It only took ten minutes for Lupin to pack up his belongings, which proved Chris's suspicions of how hard it was for him to find work. She led him outside, where the Guardian picked them up. They appeared on Gateway, which was still as barren as ever. Ruins dotted the landscape, the remnants of an ancient city. Lupin looked around, while Chris turned to the stone structure.  
  
"Guardian, I'd like to take Remus here to Mobius."  
  
"Many such journeys are possible," the Guardian of Forever boomed. "Let me be your gateway."  
  
"Same place as always, just in time for Harry's second birthday."  
  
A time portal opened in the centre of the Guardian, with a view of the outside of the palace. "Come on," she said to Lupin, then stepped through the Guardian. Lupin hesitated for a moment, then followed her.  
  
((For a moment I debated cutting the chapter here, but I reckon you've waited long enough for an update...))  
  
On the other side of the portal, Chris glanced aroundat the people in the street. Most of them were used to seeing her coming for visits, but there were always a few distrustful looks. The only reason those people tolerated her presence was the fact that she was obviously friends with the royal family.  
  
When Remus came through, Chris led him up the palace steps and through the door. The guards nodded to her, but watched Remus until he was out of sight.  
  
About ten steps into the palace, Chris was tackled by an energetic toddler. "Auntie!" he screamed. Chris winced.  
  
"Harry-kins, don't shout. It hurts me, you know that."  
  
"Sowwy..."  
  
Chris smiled and said, "Harry, look who came to see you!" She gestured to Remus.  
  
"Uncle Moony!"  
  
For the first time in a long time, Remus smiled as he in turn was tackled by Harry.  
  
Chris watched for a while, until she noticed Aleena and Sirius approaching. "Morning," she greeted them. She then introduced Remus and Aleena to each other, after which Sirius and Remus disappeared off to get reaquinted, Harry hanging onto Remus's leg.  
  
Once the men (boys?) were far enough away, Chris turned to Aleena and said, "Remus is a werewolf. He's completely harmless most of the month, but during the full moon, it's not safe to be in the same room with him. Because he's a werewolf, he can't get a job anywhere. I don't understand why people are so cruel: he's one of the nicest people on Earth..."  
  
"Why does he have to live on Earth? I'm sure he could get both a good home and a job here on Mobius." Aleena said.  
  
Chris brightened visibly. "Good idea! He'd even be close enough to visit Harry and vice versa."  
  
Later that day, Chris disappeared for a while. When she returned, she was holding a box wrapped in colourful paper and tied to a card with the number two on it. The box then disappeared as well and didn't reappear until the next day at Harry's birthday party. Harry tore open the package to find a soft toy. Chris explained it was a snowy owl. When questioned about it, she smiled enigmatically and refused to explain further.  
  
For the next few years, Chris was only able to make occasional visits, but the one that really stuck in her mind was the day after Harry's seventh birthday.  
  
Harry walked into the family room to find his mum, aunt, Sirius and Remus sitting on sofas, obviously waiting for him.  
  
"What's going on?" he asked.  
  
"Harry, come sit down," his aunt said. He did, and his aunt continued. "It's about time we told you something."  
  
His mum spoke up. "I'm not your real mum. Your aunt brought you to me when you were a year old, after your parents died."  
  
Sirius put his own tuppence in. "A bad man called Voldemort killed your mum and dad when you were a baby."  
  
Then Uncle Moony said, "You dad, Sirius and I were best friends at school. We called ourselves the Marauders." He smiled, obviously remembering.  
  
Harry turned to Aleena. "Can I still call you mum?" he asked. Aleena smiled widely.  
  
"Yes, you can."  
  
Sirius spoke up. "Want to hear about your dad ?"  
  
Harry grinned like the Cheshire cat. "Yes."  
  
Chris gave both Sirius and Remus a sharp look. She had earlier told them not to tell Harry anything about magic until his Hogwarts letter arrived.  
  
Remus nodded, and all three males exited, Sirius talking animatedly.  
  
If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, review. Or you could see if I'm online at MSN Messenger. My name there is the same as on FF.net. My dad finally let me download the program onto my computer. 


	5. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: Do I look like Ms. Rowling? No? Thought so. Original characters are mine.  
  
Author's note: I've littered this chapter with quotes from Philosopher's Stone. If you can point them out to me, the next chapter is dedicated to you.  
  
After re-reading the earlier chapters, I realised I went and repeated myself on some things. Just ignore the repetition... *ears turn red in embarrassment*  
  
Reviews: Ack! I forgot to put this in the last chapter! Sorry! Jenn and HAZZAGRIFF, thanks for reviewing. *hits self over head*  
  
Chapter Four  
  
The day before Harry's eleventh birthday, Chris returned to Earth and marched into the Leaky Cauldron. For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old barman who was bald and looked like a gummy walnut.  
  
Tom, the barman, looked up from his conversation to see a fairly short woman wearing a time-guardian uniform, march into his establishment and over to his counter.  
  
"Excuse me? I was wondering if you could let me through to Diagon Alley? I haven't a wand of my own."  
  
"Of course, miss. But if you're a time-guardian, why not go straight in instead of coming through here?"  
  
"Because people would have a fit if I appeared out of thin air without Apparating."  
  
Tom nodded. "Just a moment." He called to one of his employees to take over for a moment, after which he stepped out from behind the bar and led the time-guardian through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a dustbin and a few weeds.  
  
He walked over to the opposite wall, and quickly tapped a specific brick with his wand. A small hole appeared, growing wider until an arch stood in place of the wall.  
  
"May I have your name?" he asked.  
  
"My name's Christina Atola, go ahead and call me Chris. Thanks for your help, Tom." She marched through the archway and into Diagon Alley. The arch closed behind her, and she set off in the direction of Gringotts.  
  
She passed a wide range of shops, and as she passed, she watched a crowd of children standing outside Quality Quidditch Supplies, moaning over the newest model and wishing they had one.  
  
Once inside the bank, Chris walked over to a free goblin and said,  
  
"Good morning. I'd like to exchange these," she held out one of the coins the queen had given her, "for wizarding currency."  
  
"Ah, Mobiums. We don't get these often. How did you acquire them?"  
  
Chris raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't my uniform tell you?" At the goblin's questioning look, she explained, "I'm the current time-guardian."  
  
"Oh, miss Atola?"  
  
"Yes, that's me."  
  
"Well, these Mobiums amount to... with a conversion of ten Galleons to a Mobium... one thousand Galleons." He handed Chris the money.  
  
"Thanks. By the way, could I deposit most of this in Harry Potter's vault?"  
  
"Why? Do you have the key?"  
  
"No, I don't have it. I'm the one who took Harry away from Godric's Hollow when his parents died. It was either that, or let him be left with his so-called relatives. Anyway, I've practically adopted him as my nephew."  
  
"Well, perhaps I can find a way to put it in myself."  
  
"Thanks." Chris picked out twenty Galleons, and gave the rest to the goblin. "By the way, is it alright if I ask your name?"  
  
"My name is Griphook." Chris nodded and said goodbye, then turned and walkd out into the bright sunshine. 'My kingdom for cap,' she thought. She headed straight for Eeylops Owl Emporium, which was dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes.  
  
Chris looked around, then as she spotted two beautiful snowy owls, she went over for a closer look. The smaller owl, which Chris knew was male, had an upside-down black triangle on his chest. The other... As soon as she got a good look, Chris's mind screamed 'Hedwig!'  
  
The manager of the shop, seeing Chris and her uniform, came over to get a closer look.  
  
"Oh my, this is an honour! A time-guardian in my shop!"  
  
Chris smiled, although inside she hated the fame of a time-guardian in the wizarding world, and said, "Hello, how much do these two cost?"  
  
"Y...You want them?"  
  
"Yes, why?"  
  
"No-one ever wanted either of them. Said they'd stick out like sore thumbs."  
  
"Oh, poor dears. Well, the colour doesn't matter to me: I live in Finland. There are a few snowy owls even in southern Finland, though not as many as in Lapland. Anyway, one of them is going to be a present for my nephew. How much?"  
  
"Considering how long they've been here, and your identity... five Galleons each."  
  
Chris brought the moneybag out and counted ten of the golden coins. The manager took the coins and hande Chris the cages. As she was about to leave, the manager gave a shout for Chris to stop, and put a box of owl treats on top of one of the cages.  
  
"Oh, no, I couldn't..." Chris protested.  
  
"I insist." He pressed the box into her hand. Chris sighed and nodded in grudging acceptance.  
  
Once outside the shop, Chris decided the owls were too heavy to carry out of the alley. She had barely made that decision when she was already in her room in the palace.  
  
Hedwig flapped her wings and hooted softly at the sight of the new room, which prompted Chris to open the cages. The unnamed owl jumped out of his cage and landed on the back of a chair. Chris walked over to the window and opened it, allowing the owl to fly out. She called out after him, "Please don't go too far," before turning to Hedwig.  
  
"I don't know what my nephew, Harry, is going to call you tomorrow, but as far as I'm concerned, your name is Hedwig."  
  
The aforementioned owl gave an inquisitive hoot.  
  
"You're asking why I consider Harry Potter my nephew?"  
  
An affirmative hoot.  
  
"It's because he started calling me Auntie just after I brought him here. I don't know why he calls me that, but it doesn't bother me. You can go out if you like, just don't let Harry-kins see you before tomorrow." Hedwig hooted and flew out the window. 'Now, what the heck do I call my owl? Suggestions, Eltie?'  
  
[Something descriptive?]  
  
'Such as...?'  
  
[Orion, the Hunter?]  
  
'Good idea! Thanks Eltie!'  
  
[You're welcome. Hadn't you better get the Hogwarts letter?]  
  
'Yeah.'  
  
She spoke aloud, "Guardian? Pick me up." Immediately, she was on Gateway. "Could you send me to Earth? Same dimension as before."  
  
Monentarily, the portal opened, showing the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts. Chris walked through, landing on her feet in the office. Dumbledore wasn't there, so she sat down in the chair opposite the desk and waited.  
  
After about ten minutes, Chris heard a faint sound, so soft she could barely hear it. LongTail took over just long enough to hear that someone was telling the stone gargoyle the password. Chris took back control and waited. Momentarily the office door opened and Dumbledore came in. When he saw her, Dumbledore said,  
  
"Ah, miss Atola. What can I do for you?"  
  
"I'm here for Harry's Hogwarts letter."  
  
"Very well." Dumbledore moved to his desk and pulled an envelope from a drawer. "May I inquire about the address?" He asked.  
  
"The dining room, the royal palace, Mobius."  
  
"Very well." He filled in the details and handed the envelope and a key to Chris.  
  
"Thanks. Is this the key to Harry's vault?"  
  
"Yes, it is." Chris nodded, got up and turned to leave.  
  
"Miss Atola." Chris turned around. "May I ask how Harry will be getting to Hogwarts?"  
  
"By train of course! That's half the experience. Besides, he's supposed to make friends with certain people on the train." Chris smiled, then turned and exited the room. When she would normally have walked into the platform at the top of the staircase, she found herself back on Gateway.  
  
"Guardian? Back to Mobius, please." Again, the portal opened and Chris walked through.  
  
~*~  
  
The next morning, Chris found Hedwig perched on the back of a chair near the open window, obviously waiting. "Morning, Hedwig." She got up and picked the Hogwarts letter up from her night-table, then moved over to Hedwig and tied the envelope to her foot. "Wait until I get dressed and go out, then wait five minutes and then fly into the dining room via the window. I'll be there by then. Okay?" Hedwig hooted.  
  
Chris quickly got dressed, then started walking to the dining room. As she entered the room, she noticed Harry was just sitting down at the table.  
  
"Morning, Harry-kins. Happy Birthday!" She smiled.  
  
Harry smiled back. "Thanks, Auntie."  
  
Chris moved to open the window, then sat down at the table and started filling her plate with breakfast. A few minutes later Hedwig soared through the open window, landing on the back of the chair next to Harry's.  
  
Harry looked at the beautiful white owl beside him, then noticed the envelope tied to its leg. He looked at his aunt.  
  
"Open it," she prompted. Harry turned back to the owl, then gently removed the envelope and opened it. He pulled two sheets of paper out. HE opened the forst sheet and started to read.  
  
/ HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY  
  
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore  
  
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,  
  
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)  
  
Dear Mr. Potter,  
  
We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
  
Term begins on 1 September. ((Don't reckon there's any point in sending an owl if Chris has already effectively confirmed his attendance.))  
  
Yours sincerely,  
  
Minerva McGonagall  
  
Deputy Headmistress /  
  
On the second sheet, there was a list. / HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY  
  
Uniform  
  
First-year students will require:  
  
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)  
  
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear  
  
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)  
  
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)  
  
Plase note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags  
  
Set Books  
  
All students should have a copy of each of the following:  
  
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk  
  
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot  
  
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling  
  
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch  
  
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore  
  
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger  
  
Fantastic Beasts amd Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander  
  
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble  
  
Other Equipment  
  
1 wand  
  
1 cauldron  
  
1 set glass or crystal phials  
  
1 telescope  
  
1 set brass scales  
  
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad  
  
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS /  
  
When Harry looked up, Chris smiled and said, "The owl's yours." Her face became serious. "There's more that you need to be told." She then went on to explain, as she ate, about magic, everything to do with the wizarding world, and Voldemort, finishing both her breakfast and the explanation with, "Regardless of how other people behave, never call Voldemort by anything except his real name. A wise man once said, and I quote, "Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself". Unquote. Now then, why dn't we go shopping?"  
  
"Where do we get all this?" Harry asked, brandishing the list.  
  
"On Earth, in London. A place called Diagon Alley. Come on, let's let your mum know where we're going. By the way, what are you going to call your owl?"  
  
Harry smiled. "Hedwig, after the patron saint of orphans."  
  
Chris smiled as well. "Good name. Come on."  
  
As it happened, they met up with Aleena just outside the dining room.  
  
"Harry's Hogwarts letter must arrived," Chris told her. "I was just going to take him shopping."  
  
"Alright," Aleena answered. "I'll see you later." She smiled at Harry, then walked into the dining room.  
  
Chris led Harry along until the Guardian realised what Chris wanted. They were taken directly to Earth, and appeared just outside the Leaky Cauldron.  
  
Once inside, Chris was relieved to note that they seemed to have come in at a quiet hour. There were only a few people in the pub, so Chris was able to get Tom's attention without causing too much of a ruckus.  
  
He quietly asked whether was really standing in front of Harry Potter. Chris confirmed it, then asked him to let them through to Diagon Alley. Tom did so, and soon Harry and Chris were standing in Gringotts, waiting to talk to a goblin.  
  
Eventually, it was their turn. Chris walked right up and said, "Morning. We've come to take some money out of Mr Harry Potter's safe."  
  
"You have his key, miss?"  
  
"Right here," Chris answered, pulling the key out of her pocket and holding it out to the goblin, who looked at it closely.  
  
"That seems to be in order. I will have someone take you down to the vault. Griphook!"  
  
Chris and Harry followed Griphook towards one of the doors leading off the hall. Giphook held the door open for them.  
  
"Hello again, Griphook. Did you get away with putting the money in the vault?"  
  
"Yes, I did. Into the cart, please." They climbed in and were off.  
  
When they finally arrived and stopped next to a small door in the passage wall, Chris stumbled out, but quickly regained her footing. Harry hopped out of the cart a bit more gracefully.  
  
Griphook unlocked the door, and all three went in. The vault was packed with three kind of coins. Gold, silver and bronze. Chris explained that the gold coins were Galleons, the silver ones were Sickles and the bronze ones were Knuts. "Seventeen Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle."  
  
Chris piled some of the money into a bag, then straightened. "I reckon that ought to be enough for a year. Back upstairs now, please," she said to Griphook.  
  
One wild cart-ride later they stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts, Chris repeating her wish for a cap. "Let's get your uniform, Harry. Tell you what. You get the robes, I'll get the books and meet you in the shop. Alright?" Harry nodded and entered Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.  
  
Madam Malkin met Harry at the door and led him to the back of the shop where another boy was being fitted. She had him stand on a stool and slipped a long robe over his head, moving to pin it to the right length.  
  
The other boy started gabbing on about something. Harry tuned him out after the first couple of words, realising that he was standing next to a snob. Finally his aunt came in, and moments later Madam Malkin told Harry that he was done. Harry hopped off the stool and walked over to his aunt, and waited as she paid for the robes and picked up the bag they'd been placed in. "Come on, Harry-kins, let's get everything else."  
  
A quarter of an hour later, bags of equipment in hand, they entered Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC.  
  
Ollivander was standing at the counter, and looked up as they entered. "Ah yes. Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter. You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work. Your father, on the other hand, favoured a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favoured it. It's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."  
  
Ollivander continued talking for a bit, but Chris tuned it out, looking curiously around the shop. Eventually he got around to measuring Harry. Still Chris tuned him out, eventually watching as Harry tried wand after wand after wand. It took countless tries before Olivander said something and handed him another. This time, there was a reaction. A stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework. And Ollivander was talking again. Finally he stopped talking and Chris paid for the wand, handing the rest of the money to Harry.  
  
She led Harry out, and back into the palace on Mobius.  
  
And this turned out to be long as a famine year...  
  
As before, please review! 


	6. Chapter Five

Disclaimer: Do I really need to repeat myself? There'a short quote  
from Prisoner of Azkaban - that's not mine.  
  
Reviews:  
  
Linky2: ...?... ...Oh! You mean one of the quotes? Okay.  
  
styxx: Thanks. I'll be following the book (Philosopher's Stone), so hopefully this won't be too much of a boring, long-winded read.  
  
Author's Note: I'll be switching between the points of view of Chris and Harry. You can tell which is which by looking at the character the sentence focuses on.  
  
Okay then, if I understood him/her (sorry, I can't tell your gender on the basis of your name) correctly, this chapter is dedicated to Linky2, the first to recognise one of the quotes.  
  
Firstly, here's a rare 'treat': the chance to see Pettigrew revealed. I know all you members of the "I-Hate-Peter-Pettigrew Club", (of which I'm an unregistered member) will enjoy reading the first bit. [I hope...]  
  
Chapter Five  
  
(Set a year before Harry starts at Hogwarts)  
  
Albus Dumbledore watched young Percy Weasley patrolling the halls. On his shoulder, he could see something grey. After watching for a moment, he realised the creature was a very fat rat.  
  
"Mister Weasley!" he called. "You are aware that your pet is not what it seems?"  
  
"What do you mean, Professor?" asked Percy.  
  
"Follow me, and whatever you do, do not let the rat go."  
  
Percy's face became incredulous, but he grasped the rat tightly regardless. He followed the Headmaster to his office, where Dumbledore said,  
  
"Now, I'm going to cast a spell on the rat. If he is indeed a rat, it won't harm him." That said, he aimed his wand at the rat and a flash of blue-white light erupted from the wand. The rat floated in mid-air for a moment, then it started to enlargen and become more human. Finally, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, cringing and wringing his hands.  
  
"Peter Pettigrew. Would you like to explain how you became an Animagus, framed Sirius Black and betrayed the Potters?" For that was what the time-guardian had said, however indirectly.  
  
"I... I didn't do it!" Pettigrew squealed.  
  
Dumbledore sighed. "Stupefy!" he said, pointing his wand at Pettigrew, then went to the fireplace. He threw in a pinch of some kind of powder and called, "Cornelius Fudge!" Moments later a head appeared in the fireplace.  
  
"Ah, Cornelius. Would you like to come to Hogwarts? There's something here you might find interesting."  
  
"Very well." Fudge stepped through the fireplace. "What's this all about, Dumbledore?" He stopped and stared. "Is that...?"  
  
"Yes. Peter Pettigrew, alive and well. Now, I was just about to interrogate him using Veritaserum." Dumbledore moved to his desk and pulled out a vial of liquid which he had placed there in case of just such a situation. He walked over to Pettigrew, poured the potion down his throat, and cast "Enervate."  
  
Pettigrew's eyes snapped open. "Now, Peter, would you care to tell us when and how you joined Voldemort, became an Animagus, framed Sirius Black and betrayed the Potters?"  
  
Pettigrew took a breath and started talking. "James Potter Sirius Black and I became Animagi for Remus Lupin, so that he wouldn't be alone during the full moon. It was James and Sirius's idea. It took me a long time to do it. We finally managed it in our fifth year. In sixth year I joined Voldemort because I wanted to be protected by the strongest person. I frmaed Sirius for the murder of those Muggles by blowing up the street, cutting off my finger and transforming into a rat, then running into the sewers.  
  
"The Potters made me their Secret Keeper. They switched from Sirius to me without telling anyone. I was overjoyed and went straight to tell my master."  
  
"And so he killed the Potters." It was not a question.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Dumbledore turned to the minister. "I believe something should be done about Pettigrew?"  
  
"Yes, I'll have him sent off to Azkaban right away." Dumbledore nodded, satisfied.  
  
"Good." The time-guardian would be pleased. "And what of Sirius Black?"  
  
"He'll be pardoned, and all his property will be returned to him."  
  
(About bl**dy time...! Oops! 'Scuse the language!)  
  
~*~  
  
(Chris's native Earth, right before she leaves for Mobius to take Harry to King's Cross.)  
  
"Mum, can't I go?" a twelve-year-old girl with dark brown hair whined.  
  
"No, Amanda, you can't. Maybe next time. I'll have my hands full with Harry, taking him to the station and all. Besides, you'd be bored stupid."  
  
"But you'll be going to _Hogwarts_! Please, can't I go? I'd like to see the place the books are based on!"  
  
"No, 'Manda, and that's final." Amanda walked away, grumbling about the injustice of adults.  
  
"What's 'Manda so worked up about, Mum?" It was Toivo, one of Amanda's brothers.  
  
Chris sighed. "I'm going to pay a visit to Hogwarts. She wants to go."  
  
Toivo nodded. "The books, right?"  
  
"Yeah, she's a bookworm, just like me," Chris agreed. "Now then. You ready to be picked up?"  
  
"Yes, Mum," Toivo sighed. Chris strode over to Amada's room. "Are you packed, Amanda?"  
  
"Yes, Mum," a voice answered from the depths of the room.  
  
"Then bring your bag to the living room." She then moved on to Usko's room. "Usko, are you packed?" The only reply was a grunt.  
  
"What was that?" Chris prompted.  
  
"Yes, mother."  
  
"Alright, bring your bag to the living room, Telltale will be here in a minute."  
  
About two minutes later, three bags sat in the middle of the living room floor, and three pre-teens stood next their bags.  
  
"Be nice to your Uncle TellTale, kids. I don't want to hear that you made trouble of some sort."  
  
"Yes, mother," the triplets chorused.  
  
"Alright. Oh, TellTale, nice to see you again," Chris said, seeing that a brown Sivaoan man had just appeared in the room.  
  
"Nice to see you too, Chris. Are you kids ready to go?"  
  
"Yes," the kids chorused. TellTale arched his whiskers forward.  
  
"Okay, let's go outside." He led the kids out into the yard, where he signalled for his ship, the Explorer, to beam them up.  
  
Once the kids and TellTale were gone, Chris picked up her own bag and walked outside. She turned to the sauna building and called toward the roof. "Orion, want to come with me?" The owl hooted and landed on her shoulder. "Okay, let me lock up."  
  
Chris locked the door, placed the key under the doormat, and stepped away. "Guardian?" Her answer was to find herself back on Gateway.  
  
"Aren't you getting a bit too fond of Mobius, Christina?" a booming, genderless voice asked.  
  
"No, Guardian, I don't think so. Besides, you know perfectly well why I go there so often." Orion hooted his agreement.  
  
"Yes, well..."  
  
"Could you please just send me to Mobius? It's time to take Harry to Hogwarts."  
  
~*~  
  
Chris, with Orion perched on her shoulder, walked into the dining room. Harry, who was just finishing his breakfast, looked up. "Hello, Auntie."  
  
"Hi, Harry-kins. Ready to go?"  
  
"Almost. I just need to get my trunk," Harry answered.  
"Okay, why don't you go fetch it, while I let your mum know we'll be leaving soon." Harry nodded and ran upstairs, while Chris went looking for Aleena, Sirius and Remus.  
  
Five minutes later Harry was being showered with enough last-minute affection to last him until Christmas. He did a bit of the typical pre-teen complaining, but in truth he was glad for all the attention. Finally, as the clock struck a quarter past ten, Chris announced that they had better be going.  
  
"Come on, Harry. We'd better be going to Earth - unless you want to miss the train?"  
  
"Aunt Chris! That's not funny!" Harry exclaimed.  
  
Chris smiled slightly, then picked Harry's trunk up. Harry, in turn, picked up Hedwig's cage.  
  
~*~  
  
Two minutes later Chris led Harry to the entrance of King's Cross station. She put the trunk on the trolley and turned to face Harry.  
  
"Now then, Harry. Just follow that family of redheads."  
  
"Aren't you coming with me onto the platform?  
  
"No. First of all, I don't think the barrier would let me through, and besides, you'll find it more interesting going through on your own. Just follow the redheads. Oh, and don't tell anyone just where and with whom you've lived until now. Not till I give the go-ahead. Okay?"  
  
"Alright."  
  
"I'll write - and if you get in trouble, mark my words, I'll be there to yell at you!" Chris promised with a smile. "Have a nice term. Bye."  
  
Harry smiled a bit mischieviously, then started following the family Chris had pointed out. He reached the barrier between platforms nine and ten just in time to hear the mother of the family tell her oldest son to go through first. Harry watched as the boy walked over to the barrier and went straight through.  
  
Once the boy was gone, Harry decided to try it. He pushed his trolley forward and headed for the barrier. Finally he plucked up his courage and started running forward. He passed straight through, and to the other side, where the first sight that greeted his eyes was a bright red steam engine, with a sign overhead saying 'Hogwarts Express'.  
  
Harry started pushing the trolley toward one of the train door, then tried to lift the trunk off the trolley, but failed and dropped the trunk on his toes. His foot hurt, but he knew he would have to get the trunk onto the train as soon as possible.  
  
The twins from the redheaded family walked up and one o f thmem asked, "Want a hand?"  
  
"Yes, please," Harry panted.  
  
With the twins help, Harry's trunk was lifted into the train and carried into a compartment. "Thanks," Harry said as they finished.  
  
"What's that?" one of the twins asked suddenly, pointing at Harry's scar.  
  
"Blimey," said the other twin, "Are you-?"  
  
"What?" Harry asked.  
  
"Harry Potter," the twins chorused.  
  
"Oh, yeah, that's me. Why?" He paused. "It's the Boy-Who-Lived thing again."  
  
The twins answer was prevented by a woman's voice calling, "Fred? George? Are you there?"  
  
"Coming, Mum." The twins gave Harry one last awed look and walked out of the compartment.  
  
~*~  
  
Chris stepped into Dumbledore's office after performing a short hop using her own ability to travel almost instantaneously from one place to another. She was not sure what exactly the ability was, since no-one had ever paid any attention to it, but it was rather useful in tight situations.  
  
"What news of Pettigrew?"  
  
"He was captured and arrested about a year ago."  
  
"And Sirius?"  
  
"Pardoned."  
  
"Good. And about time too!"  
  
~*~  
  
Harry waited util the train started leaving the platform, then got to his feet. Just as he was about to open the door, one of the redheaded boys walked in. The boy pointed to one of the seats.  
  
"Anyone sitting here? Everywhere else is full."  
  
Harry shook his head and together they sat down.  
  
To cut it here, or not to cut it here? That is the question. To cut it here. (Not mine either - this [butchered] quote belongs to Mr. Shakespeare.)  
  
I suppose some people might be wondering why I bothered to put in the conversation between Chris and the Guardian of Forever? The answer is that, judging by the works of Ms. Crispin, as well as the novelisation for the script of City on the Edge of Forever, the Guardian is lonely after all those millennia of waiting for someone to ask a question. Who wouldn't be, when the last time he/it spoke to someone was when he/it was built/created?  
  
So I reckon the reason why he/it chose to have time-guardians was that he/it would have company. After all, if the time-guardians can't get to their destination by themselves, they have to talk to the Guardian, therefore giving him/it a bit of company. So (almost) everyone is happy.  
  
As before, please review! 


	7. Chapter Six

Disclaimer: I'm not even going to say anything: I've said it enough times.  
  
Responses to reviews:  
  
HAZZAGRIFF: Thanks for reviewing - yet again!  
  
lilly1023: Thanks!  
  
Arsenal: I'll try not to disappoint you!  
  
Author's note: I'm sorry I took so long updating: I've spent the last few days falling asleep in the worst places as a result of an antibiotic I'm on, which has been making me drowsy. I didn't dare start typing because I was afraid I'd make more mistakes than normal and have to spend ages fixing them.  
  
Chapter Six  
  
"Hey Ron." The twins were back. "Listen, we're going down the middle of the train - Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."  
  
"Right," mumbled Ron.  
  
"Harry," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then."  
  
"Bye," said Harry and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door closed behind them.  
  
"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out. Harry nodded. "Oh - well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And you've really got - you know..." He pointed at Harry's forehead.  
  
Harry pulled back his fringe to reveal his scar. Ron stared.  
  
"So that's where You-Know-Who - ?"  
  
"Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it."  
  
"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.  
  
"Well, I can remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."  
  
"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at H rry for a moment, then looked out the window.  
  
"Are your family all wizards?" Harry asked, finding Ron just as interesting as Ron found him.  
  
"Er - yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."  
  
"So you must know loads of magic already."  
  
"Where'd you disappear when Voldemort was defeated?" Ron asked.  
  
"I was picked up by someone and given to a Muggle foster family. Aunt Chris - she's the one who picked me up - comes 'round once in a while to see me. Come to think of it, she promised to visit me at school. I've got two foster-brothers and a foster-sister. My brothers, Sonic and Manic, let me help them in playing pranks on Sonia, my foster-sister. How many brothers do you have?"  
  
"Five," said Ron. For some reason he was starting to look gloomy. "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left - Bill was Head Boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a Prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. I'm expected to do as well, but if I do it's no big deal, because they did it first."  
  
Harry, noticing Ron was becoming uncomfortable, changed the subject. He started talking about him home life.  
  
"...And until my aunt told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard, my parents or Voldemort - "  
  
Ron gasped.  
  
"What?" asked Harry.  
  
"_You said You-Know-Who's name_!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people - "  
  
"I'm not trying to be _brave_ or anything, saying the name, I just never called him anything else. Besides, Aunt Chris told me never to call him by any other name."  
  
Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside their compartment and a smiling, dimpled lady slid the door open and asked, "Amything off the trolley, dears?"  
  
Harry got up and went to see what she had to offer. Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Liquorice Wands and a number of other strange things. Not wanting to miss anything, Harry bought a bit of everything and paid the woman eleven Sickles and seven Knuts.  
  
Ron stared as Harry brought it all back into the compartment and tipped onto an empty seat.  
  
"Hungry, are you?"  
  
"Yeah," said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty. Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches in there. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef."  
  
"Swap you for one of these," Harry offered, holdiong up a pasty. Go on - "  
  
"You don't want this, it's all dry," Ron protested. "She hasn't got much time, you know, with five of us."  
  
"Go on, have a pasty," said Harry, having had precious few friends in his life, regardless of his good home. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through pasties and cakes, while the sandwiches lay forgotten.  
  
There was a knock on the door of their compartment and a round-faced boy came in. He looked tearful.  
  
"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"  
  
When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I keep losing him!"  
  
"He'll turn up," said Harry.  
  
"Yes, said the boy miserably, "Well, if you see him..."  
  
He left.  
  
Two minutes later, a girl opened the compartment door. "Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one."  
  
"We already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron.  
  
The girl nodded, then asked, "Either of you tried any spells yet? I've tried a few simple ones just for practice. No-one in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard - I've learnt all our set books off by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?" She said all this very fast.  
  
Harry looked at Ron and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learned all the set books off by heart either.  
  
"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.  
  
"Harry Potter," said Harry.  
  
"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course - I got a few extra reading books for background reading, and you're in 'Modern Magical History', 'The Rise and fall of the Dark Arts', and 'Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century'."  
  
"I am?" said Harry, feeling dazed.  
  
"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," commented Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best, I hear Dumbledore himself was one, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad... Anyway, I'd better go look for Neville's toad. You too had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon." She left.  
  
"What house are your brothers in?" Harry asked.  
  
"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mum and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw _would_ be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."  
  
"That's the house Voldemort was in?"  
  
Ron flinched, but said, "Yeah." He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.  
  
"So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?"  
  
"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts."  
  
After a little while, three boys entered the compartment and Harry immediately recognised the middle one: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Harry with a great deal more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.  
  
"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"  
  
"Yeah," Harry answered. "I've heard about you, Malfoy, and I can't say I'm impressed with what I've heard. Your dad served Voldemort before he fell, and probably will if he comes back. I don't want to spend time with a Death Eater's kid. Go away, Malfoy."  
  
Malfoy sneered and walked out, tailed by his two lackies. A few minutes later, a voice echoed down the train. "We will be arriving at Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."  
  
Harry and Ron quickly changed into their robes, stuffed the last of the sweets into their pockets and joined the other people exiting the train.  
  
Once on the platform, the boys heard a deep, booming voice call, "Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!" Harry saw an enormous man with a wild, bushy beard over the sea of heads.  
  
"C'mon, follow me - any more firs'-years? Mind yer step, now! Firs'- years follow me!"  
  
Slipping and stumbling forward, they followed the man down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. No-one spoke much.Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad sniffed a bit.  
  
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," the man called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."  
  
There was a loud "Oooooh!"  
  
The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop the high mountain was a grand castle.  
  
"No more'n four to a boat!" the man called, pointing to a fleet of boats sitting at the lakeshore. Harry and Ron were followed into their boat by Hermione and Neville.  
  
"Everyone in?" the man shouted. "Right then - FORWARD!"  
  
And the fleet of boats moved off all at once, gliding across the smooth, glasslike lake. Everyone was silent, staring up at the castle. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearerto the cliff on which it stood. Finally they came to a wide opening in the cliff face, and were carried along down a dark tunnel which seemed to be taking them right under the castle. They reached a kind of harbour where they climbed out of the boats.  
  
They walked up a flight of steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door. "Everyone here?" The man raised a fist and knocked three times on the castle door.  
  
What do you think? Please review! 


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